Dark Valentine
by HimekawaRie
Summary: Chocolates are supposed to be sweet. Definitely not like this.
1. Chapter 1

No, these boys aren't mine. I'm just playing with them…hehehehehe DARK VALENTINE 

He received the first letter after tennis practice. His mother put it in his room. He was intrigued as there was no return address and no post stamp, but he opened it in no hurry. He pulled out a black card from the envelope, and read the red romaji alphabet 'SHINE' on it. Then he pulled out another thing, a squished cockroach in a laminated plastic.

He doubted that the sender meant SHINE as glow in English.

He burned the envelope, the card, and the cockroach.

The second letter came a week after that. This time there's no card in it. Instead, he cut his fingers as he reached into the envelope. He wondered who could've hated him so much to put razors in an envelope and sent them to him.

Again, he burned the envelope and threw away the razors.

The third one he received was not a letter. It was a package. He opened it carefully, afraid that there're snakes inside. Instead, there's a mutilated white mouse in the box.

He wanted to throw up, to panic, to cry, whatever, but in the end his control won and he burned the box. He didn't burn the mouse, though. He buried it somewhere in his huge garden. It's not the mouse's fault it was sent to him.

He felt a bit guilty to the mouse.

And then came valentine, and he was neck-deep in chocolate boxes. The number of admirers that year seemed to multiply. Fuji took pity on him and helped him carry some of his presents, although the tensai also received quite a many. In fact, he, Fuji, and Echizen almost tallied in the numbers of boxes they received. The regulars put the boxes in the changing room and counted them after practice.

Then Momoshiro complained that the captain, the tensai, and the small tennis prince were being unfair to them, as they received so many chocolates and that they're supposed to share, damn it!

So Oishi, ever the peacemaker, suggested that they ate one chocolate from each box and share the rest with the other regulars. Tezuka agreed wholeheartedly, with the amount of chocolates he had, he'd be sick if he ate them all. So they opened the boxes and share their chocolates and gather the cards. Some of the boxes came anonymously, but it's no surprise. That's why he's not surprised when he found yet another anonymously sent heart-shaped box for him. The chocolates in it were of one heart shape and size with different colours, brown, white, pink, and blue. He took a blue one and popped it into his mouth while pushing the rest to Momoshiro.

A second later, he dashed into the nearest bathroom in the changing area and promptly threw up everything he had for lunch, and maybe breakfast, along with the chocolates he'd eaten.

Fuji and Oishi were with him in no time, helping him as he continued retching, until he had nothing left in his stomach. He felt cold all over. He didn't refuse when Fuji silently guided him to one of the benches and sat him there.

He knew that he's pale; he could feel that he's shivering, and his heart beat erratically in his chest. Echizen offered him a glass of water, but he shook his head. Kikumaru knelt in front of him while Oishi rubbed his back in a soothing motion. Inui and Kawamura hovered close, while Kaidoh and Momoshiro kept their distance.

Momoshiro was still holding the heart shaped box.

Fuji followed his line of sight, and noted the box, "Is something wrong with the chocolate?" the tensai asked.

Tezuka couldn't bring himself to answer.

Kaidoh, being closest to Momoshiro, took a pink chocolate, and examined it.

Tezuka shook his head weakly, "Don't eat them," he could only say.

He, though, didn't expect Kaidoh to look at Inui, who gave him a knife, and break the chocolate in two on the chocolate-laden table.

Red poured like syrup from inside the chocolate, and Tezuka had to swallow to keep himself in check.

Gasps were heard, and then Kawamura's timid voice asked, "Is that… blood?"

Tezuka felt weak, he couldn't say no when his regulars except Fuji moved to break the rest of the chocolates.

They found more blood-filled chocolates, and also other fillings such as sharp pieces of glasses, wood splinters, short broken needles, and dead bugs.

Fuji's hand that was on his shoulder tightened.

"If this is a joke, it's not funny. Not funny at all," Momoshiro said, stricken.

"Nya… we could've been killed!" Kikumaru lamented.

"No…" Inui shook his head, "Not us. Tezuka could've been killed."

Every eyes looked at the tennis data-man as he continued.

"The chocolates were in bite-sized. It's perfectly logical if we'd just put one into our mouth and chew it instead of bite it in two. And nobody would think that we'd share our valentine chocolates. So logically, Tezuka would've gone home with the chocolate, and eat them whole. If Tezuka happened to get the one filled with glass piece or needle, he might hurt his mouth, or his tongue, or he might accidentally swallow it as he tried to choke it out instead. Tezuka, the chocolate you ate, I assume it's either blood, or bug, right?"

"Is it bug?" asked Kikumaru, his eyes wide.

Tezuka shook his head.

"It's blood, then," said Echizen carefully.

"Who would…" Kawamura blanched, looking at the broken chocolates with wide eyes.

"Someone must've hate you so much to do this, Tezuka…" Oishi said softly.

Tezuka gave a low groan as he closed his eyes " I think I'm going crazy…"

And then Fuji was kneeling in front of him, his hands on his knees; his blue eyes staring at him intently.

"I take it that this is not the first time?" the tensai asked matter-of-factly.

Tezuka opened his eyes and found Fuji's determined face, and he looked around to see his regulars' expressions, which range from scared to angry.

And he found himself nodding, telling them in halting words that simply couldn't stop once the first word fell out of his mouth, and he told them everything about the card and the cockroach and the razor and the mouse.

He felt as if he's an old man when he finally finished speaking.

Oishi was then standing behind him, and he found it easy to lean back against his friend. It's a show of weakness, but he's a breath away from panicking, so it didn't really matter. He felt Oishi's hand tightened on his shoulders, and Fuji's angry face gave him the courage he felt lack of. Inui looked thoughtful, Kaidoh mad, Momoshiro disgusted, Kawamura stricken, Kikumaru on the verge of tears, and Echizen looked ready to commit murder.

He cursed himself because he caused them those expressions, but he couldn't help it.

After awhile, Fuji stood up, "We must tell Ryuzaki sensei about it."

Tezuka was ready to protest, but Echizen's voice made him bit his words.

"Agreed," the small pillar of Seigaku said coldly, "And when I get my hands on the culprit, he'd be dead meat."

"Assuming the culprit is a he. It could be a she, you know," said Inui.

"So? She'd be a dead meat then."

"You know… I might help you with it…" Kawamura said, and Tezuka had to admit defeat.

So they agreed to tell Ryuzaki sensei the next morning.

That day, Tezuka was walked home by all of his regulars. He wanted to refuse, but Fuji said something about not being able to calm down until he's sure that Tezuka's safe in his house, and all refusals melt away.

They're only worried about him. And he did feel safer when they all walked him home So why refuse the offer?

He made his regulars called him when they got to their homes, though, and they called him incessantly after that.

That night, he was plagued by nightmares, and as a result, he came late to school.

The teacher looked at him worriedly as she let him enter the class. He couldn't blame her, he's sure he looked like a mess.

At break, he found his regulars waiting by his locker. He shrugged and didn't say anything. He simply opened his locker and put in the books he wouldn't need for the next periods. That's when his fingers touched something furry and sticky.

He froze for a second. And jumped back as if bitten the next.

His hand was red, smeared with blood.

His regulars gasped.

Fuji immediately put plastic gloves on his hands, reached inside Tezuka's locker, and pulled out a severed kitten head.

There were screams around him, originated from the students around them, but he himself found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from the feline's glassy eyes.

Reality seemed to blur around him, and he felt more than realized that Oishi and Kikumaru had dragged him away to the nurse station, and on the way, his knees buckled that Kawamura had to help him to the white-coloured room.

Shock.

He knows of the concept, but he'd never felt it before.

Kawamura made him sit on one of the beds, and Oishi made him drink water and a pill.

Soon, he felt so sleepy, and he didn't refuse when Kikumaru pushed him to lie on the bed, or when he felt blankets on him.

He felt so sleepy, and he wanted to forget… So he followed the strange urge and closed his eyes.

The last thing he heard was Oishi's voice, telling him that it'll be okay.

_TBC_

_Author's note:_

_This story came even shallower than the rest. My attempt of creating a mystery/detective story hehehehe… Someone said I have a tendency for Tezuka-torture…_

_Sorry…_

_R/R greatly appreciated! Thank you!_

_Tenno Himekawa Rie_


	2. Chapter 2

No, these boys aren't mine. I'm still playing with them, though… I can't seem to stop…hehehehehe DARK VALENTINE Chapter 2 

"Why didn't you tell me this yesterday?"

Tezuka heard the voice, recognized it, but no face came to his mind.

"It was late, Sensei, you had gone home…"

Another voice, also familiar.

"You could have just come to my house!"

The first voice, a woman's…

"Sumimasen… we didn't think that far…"

Yet another voice, still a familiar one.

"We walked buchou home yesterday…"

This one's also familiar.

"Nothing happened on the way? No one suspicious?"

"No. We chose the safest route, Sensei, and I kept on checking our surroundings."

Another voice…

"I assume that all of you were on watch yesterday, eh?"

"We couldn't afford to be less careful after the chocolates yesterday."

"And after today…."

"We can safely assume that it's someone from inside the school."

Tezuka opened his eyes.

"Ah, Tezuka, you're awake."

Ryuzaki-sensei was sitting by his bed. So it was her voice…

Tezuka tried to sit down, and a pair of arms helped him.

Oishi.

Fuji and Inui looked at him worriedly, and Echizen looked a trifle queasy.

"What else was in my locker?" Tezuka asked.

"The rest of the cat," Fuji said bluntly.

Tezuka looked away.

"Tezuka, think! Who could have done this?" Ryuzaki pressed.

"I don't know, Sensei… although I assume the person must have so much grudge against me…"

"I hate this…" Inui said, "We have almost no data…"

"The culprit's from this school. He, or she, or they, had Tezuka's locker key, or a copy of it. He also puts his first 'presents' directly to Tezuka's mail box."

"I highly doubt he'd try to put another one in my mail box, Fuji, this one has a brain to count."

"Too bad you burned the first packages…"

"Ne, do you remember all the girls who gave you chocolates, Buchou?"

Tezuka looked at Echizen, "No. Many of them were piled on my locker and desk…"

"Meaning, it could've been anyone…" Inui shook his head, "This is troublesome."

"Well, the other regulars and some of the tennis club's boys are spreading all over the school grounds to find more information…" Ryuzaki said.

"Won't it only alert the culprit?"

"Yes, Oishi, but everyone saw the cat…" Fuji said softly.

"Where is it?"

They all looked at Tezuka.

"Where's what?"

"The… cat, Oishi… where is it?"

"Why do you ask, Buchou?"

"I…" Tezuka took a deep breath, "Can you bury it for me?"

Fuji smiled softly, "Ah, Tezuka… I'll do it."

"Sankyu."

Ryuzaki couldn't help but to marvel how _young_ Tezuka looked at that moment.  
The tennis practice after that went by like usual, albeit more tensed. Ryuzaki-sensei was absent. Kikumaru kept on looking at every direction. Inui didn't write anything; instead, he kept both eyes on the many members around. Kawamura had doubled his power as a stress relief. Momoshiro and Kaidoh rallied like crazy. Oishi and Fuji stood on either side of Tezuka, a lot closer than usual, too. Echizen served with no power, no passion, his golden eyes kept on straying toward Tezuka.

Tezuka couldn't help but to notice that everyone made sure they know where he's standing.

"Tezuka-senpai…"

He looked at the two newcomers, Sakuno and Tomoka.

"Ano… daijoubu desu ka?"

He shrugged, "It's okay."

"No, it's not," Tomoka protested, "Senpai, what that mad person did…"

"We'll take care of it," Fuji said softly, his right blue eyes opened in determination.

"Can it have something to do with the extra grants?"

The three looked at Sakuno.

"Inui!" Fuji called over his shoulder, and Inui was there in a flash.

"Nani desu ka?"

"Sakuno-chan had something interesting to say…"

Sakuno nodded, "We talked about this before, Tomoka and I, and it seems plausible. There will be an extra fund given to the boy's tennis club, right? I heard grandma talked about it by phone before."

"Is there, Tezuka?" asked Fuji.

"It's still a plan up to now, Fuji… but basically, if we get to National, we'd get extra fund."

"How many people knows it?" asked Inui.

"Well, The School Board… Oishi… teachers, maybe?"

"But none of this leaked out as of yet?"

"I told no one but Tomoka, and that was only because I need a discussion partner…" Sakuno said sheepishly.

"I told no one, and we were extremely careful. We talked through notes at the library," Tomoka said, showing a book to the four regulars, "No one else read what we wrote."

Inui took it, "I'll be holding that book, if you please…"

Tomoka and Sakuno nodded.

"Ne, Tezuka… if this is about that fund …" Oishi stopped.

"Maybe another club got jealous…" Fuji nodded.

"We thought so, too," Sakuno said softly.

"But, no one's supposed to know, right?" asked Tezuka.

"Did you ever talk about this at school?" asked Inui.

"No… Ryuzaki-sensei told me by phone, and I immediately called Oishi after that… but we never talked about it at school."

"Well, some teachers might gossip about it… and if someone from the other club overheard…"

Tezuka made a small distressed sound, "That was only about money?"

"This is only speculation, Tezuka… but we will tell Ryuzaki-sensei about it," Fuji decided.

"I'll tell her at home, senpai…" Sakuno softly said, "Our walls had no ears."

"Then we will meet somewhere else to share this with the other regulars," Oishi said.

Tezuka almost protested, but Inui cut him off.

"They have to know, Tezuka. If this is really about fund, then all of our regulars, especially our best three, are in danger."

"Hai," Tomoka nodded, "They only targeted Tezuka-senpai so far, but if Seigaku kept on winning, then the targets may widen…"

"Are you suggesting that Seigaku lose?" asked Oishi unbelievingly.

"On the contrary," Sakuno smiled, "Seigaku has to reach Nationals. If it's so, then the culprit will move carelessly…"

"And we can catch his tail," Tomoka concluded.

Fuji smirked, "Had anyone told you that you two are good at playing detective? Not even a day had went by since the locker incident, and you've thought so much already."

"Only because we've had a lead no one else had…" Sakuno said timidly.

Tezuka nodded, "Thank you for your information."

_TBC_

_Author's note:_

_CHAPTER TWO!_

_I was amazed that so many people reviewed, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! _

_Many asked if this will be done by valentine… to be honest, I'm not sure, although the flow is a lot faster than my other stories (which tended to dawdle and full with descriptions all over the pages…), but I actually meant this to be finished on White Day instead… _

_We'll see._

_Like always, all mistakes are mine._

_And, for reviewers, I'll try to attend every review personally, but if I missed some, I'm terribly sorry, as my internet connection is so damn slow, I need like ten minutes to upload a story._

_R/R are always greatly appreciated! Thank you!_

_Tenno Himekawa Rie_


	3. Chapter 3

_No, these boys aren't mine. I'm still playing with them, though… I can't seem to stop…hehehehehe_

**DARK VALENTINE **

**Chapter 3**

Much to Fuji's annoyance, the culprit didn't do anything after the cat, that he and Inui were, for lack of better word, even more on the edge of insanity.

Oh, it's not as if he wanted Tezuka to be mauled by an unknown attacker, no! But the cat guy (Eiji has morbid sense of naming and coding, he realized) hadn't done anything after the cat, and the suspense got even higher.

Fuji amusedly remembered how he (and Inui) had constantly followed Tezuka on White Day, thinking (and fearing) that there'll be another cat or something else for him, that Tezuka had gotten so annoyed (couldn't blame him, he's on the edge of insanity himself), that he threatened to quit the club if they kept on being his shadows.

Kawamura was the savior of the day. He came up with the most brilliant idea ever! He talked to Sakuno and Tomoka, and those two, with the kind of determination that even Kaidoh made a thumb up for, latched onto Tezuka's arms and didn't let go of him for the whole day long, unless he's in the class, the men's room, the club's changing room, or on court. Considering that Tomoka was a truly devoted Ryoma-sama fan, and Sakuno had a major crush on the small prince of tennis (not to mention that she's so timid and shy), it was a feat by itself. But that was not the best part. At the end of tennis practice, dear old Taka-san strolled over to Tezuka and advised him to either accept good old Fuji and Inui as his shadows, or Sakuno and Tomoka would gladly take the positions. Upon looking at the two girls on his left and right arms, Tezuka wholeheartedly agreed. The two girls let go of him immediately, Tomoka grinning from ear to ear and Sakuno blushing red, bowed and left, chattering away.

And we thought Taka-san had no mean bones in him.

But still… nothing happened that day.

Or the day fater that. And after that…

"Fuji."

Fuji looked to his left and found Tezuka looking at him.

"You're giggling, then you frowned," Inui explained Tezuka's unasked question (or comment).

"Oh, I'm just remembering something funny, then I thought of something not fun, that's all."

"I see…" Tezuka, strangely, looked amused.

"The team's getting stronger," commented Inui, looking at the Golden Pair who were playing against each other. On the other courts, Echizen was playing against Momoshiro, and Kawamura was playing against Kaidoh.

"We're done!" Oishi said as he and his partner left the court.

"Fuji, why don't we try playing for awhile?" asked Inui.

"Sure," Fuji nodded, and left Tezuka's side with Inui. Almost immediately, Oishi and Kikumaru replaced them.

Tezuka sighed.

"Tezuka!" Ryuzaki shouted from the other side of the court, "I need to talk to you for awhile."

Tezuka nodded, and walked over to her.

"Come," Ryuzaki said, and they went away toward Ryuzaki's office.

TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT

"Don't you just hate it when everyone make sure they know where you're standing."

Tezuka looked at his amused sensei, "I find their protectiveness cute, if rather stifling."

"Oh, really."

"Really."

Ryuzaki sighed, "Tezuka, tell me honestly. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sensei. Why do you ask?"

"Well… you lost weight, for one… you didn't get a perfect score in the last history test, that's two, and three, there're bags under your eyes."

Tezuka shrugged, "I've been better, Sensei. I don't get it myself, but since nothing happened after the cat, and nothing happened on White Day, it should've been okay, right?"

"But you still feel on guard all the time?"

"Yes… it's not like anyone can actually do anything to me while the regulars and all other tennis clubs members are watching over me, and at home, Grandfather sorts my letters for me. Inui sorts my e-mails, Fuji makes sure I only eat what his neesan cooks for me or what the regulars bring, there're always at least two regulars by my side at almost all time at school except classes…"

"You really need to stretch your wings, don't you?"

"Eh?"

"I'll tell the regulars to back off a bit, but your must promise that, if there's anything funny, anything at all, you'll come directly to me."

"I will, sensei. But I'm not sure if my stalker will do anything sort of _funny_ to me."

TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT

A week after his talk with Ryuzaki-sensei, Tezuka found himself walking home alone. Fuji was dragged away by Yuuta, saying that he wanted to buy a new racket and Fuji must pick one for him. Inui was dragged away by Kaidoh, who insisted that Inui must help him in his training.

Kawamura left early, saying that he had to help his father prepare for a birthday party in his sushi house. Momoshiro and Echizen went for a burger, and Kikumaru dragged Oishi to join them.

So Tezuka, for the first time in months, found himself totally alone.

A very strange feeling indeed, quite liberating.

He never knew he could actually feel lonely.

So caught up in his thought, he didn't notice the black motorcycle speeding on the street behind him.

The next thing he knew was that he's in a world of pain, the world turned upside down, and his last thought was, _damn, Fuji will kill me!_

TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT TENIPURI POT

His body hurt. His head hurt. Someone was touching his cheek.

Not a hand he recognized.

Who?

He struggled to open his eyes. It's blurry. His glasses, where was his glasses?

"Tezuka! Stay awake!"

"Where's that ambulance?"

"On the way."

"Don't move him."

"I won't!"

"Oh, God, there's so much blood…"

"Here, use my jersey!"

"I have another towel… where is it… where is it…"

"Did anyone see the license plate of that bike!?"

"The ambulance's coming!"

"Tezuka, come on, just hold on, okay? Hold on…"

"Somebody call Seigaku!"

"I'm on it!"

"Hold on, Tezuka… hold on…"

Voices… shadows…gray… or is it black?

The world's turning dark….

And silent….

_TBC_

_**Author's note:**_

_CHAPTER THREE!_

_Finally… God, it's such a slow development…_

_To all who reviewed and nags, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! _

_Someone ask where does the story fit in the timeline, honestly, I have no idea. I don't know when does school start in Japan, for all that I know, my timeline's probably won't work in either story-time line or real-life time line. All I can say is that the story started a few weeks before Valentine, and this chapter is a month after White Day. Can someone please tell me the possible dates of Seigaku's matches? It will help a lot with the mystery people at the end of this chapter, as I have not yet decided who they are. They could be Fudou Mine, or or Yamabuki, or Hyotei… Like I said, the timeline, (and suggestions) will decide who they are. I'll put more chapters in as soon as I decided on the 'who' and 'when'. So…_

_WILD SUGGESTION TIME!!!_

_I call for all those who want to put a piece of their mind into the continuation of this story to tell me what you think!_

_Hehehehe… in other word, I'm kinda in a slump…_

_Hopefully suggestion will keep my mind wild. _

_Like always, all mistakes are mine._

_And, for reviewers, I'll try to attend every review personally, but if I missed some, I'm terribly sorry, as my internet connection is even slower, I now need more than 20 minutes to upload a story._

_R/R are always greatly appreciated! Thank you!_

_Tenno Himekawa Rie_


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